 Powers of the Judicial Branch  Hear cases  Judge cases  Give decisions on cases which deal with breaking laws made by Congress  Declare constitutionality of laws  Main Job: to explain and interpret laws created by Congress

 The Judicial Branch in the Constitution  The judicial power of the United States is vested in the federal court system  The highest court in the federal court system is the Supreme Court  Congress may create other “inferior” courts that are below the Supreme Court  Supreme Court justices and other federal judges hold lifetime appointment, unless removed from office  Federal judges are appointed by the President  Congress may not decrease the pay of federal judges or Supreme Court justices while they are in office  Can only convict someone of treason, if you have two witnesses

 Three types of Federal Courts  Federal District Courts  US Circuit Courts of Appeal  US Supreme Court

 Federal District Courts  Known as “trial” courts  Hear almost all court cases  Hold original jurisdiction in most cases Jurisdiction: The right to hear a case first Cases are heard where the event in question took place Extradition: people being brought to the region they are being tried in  No appeal cases heard here

 US Circuit Courts of Appeal  A total of 13 regional courts  Appellate Courts: Courts which hear appeals Hear cases brought from District Courts  Judges make the decision  No original jurisdiction

 US Supreme Court  Only level created by the Constitution  9 Supreme Court Justices  Judges make a decision based on majority of votes  Only court with judicial review: power to declare an act of government constitutional or not  Receives cases that have gone through lower courts and is the highest level  Original jurisdiction in cases involving states and foreign countries